Venetian blind of guided type



June 4, 1940. E. M. TRAMMELL ,3

' VENE'I'IAN BLIND 0F GUIDED TYPE Filed Dec. 16, 19.38

INVENTOR EARL M. TRAMMELL ATTORNEY Patented June 4, 1940 UNITED, STATES,

VENETIAN BLIND OF GUIDED TYPE Earl M. Trammell, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Huttig Sash & Door Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Delaware Application December 16, 1938, Serial No. 246,023

10 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in Venetian blinds of guided type, and more particularly to an improved guiding connection for the lower rail of a Venetian blind assembly, having particular application to the so-called lift-rail, whereby to permit both a tilting and lifting actuation thereof, with improved results.

In many of the prevalent types of guided-type Venetian blinds, and in which the lift bar may or cident to lifting the blind, it has been found that disarrangement of the blind slats, sometimes with minor destructive effects, occurs through casual manual attempts to lift the assembly through direct actuation of the lift bar, particularly when done in a manner so that the bar moves distinctly out of its normal horizontal position. It usually occurs in such instances, that the tenons of the blind slats are disengaged from the guide grooves provided at the sides of blinds of this type. The difficulties noted frequently arise not only in domestic installations, but where the blinds are utilized in places accessible to the public, to children and others unfamiliar with the operation of blinds of the noted type, for errample, in installations in railway cars and in public buildings.

The present invention has an important object, the provision of means rendering impossible 30 the aforesaid lifting and disarrangement of the blind through direct actuation of the lift bar.

A further objective of the invention is attained in an improved provision for guidingly support ing thelift bar in such manner that either its tilting or lifting actuation may occur as desired, each operation without any effect on the other, and in such manner that the desired physical relation between the lift bar and the assembly of slats thereabove, particularly the lowermost 40 slat of the assembly, is maintained at all times.

Yet another object of the invention, more specifically stated, is found in the provision of an improved lock tenon assembly at each end of the lift bar of a guided blind, and which serves more effectively to attain the foregoing objects than any device of comparable purpose.

Yet another object of the invention is attained in a device for the purposes noted, which may be applied to existing blinds of guided type Without requiring any material alteration in existing 50 structures.

The foregoing and other objects will fully appear from the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, and as considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary front elevation of a Venetian blind assembly of guided type, to which the present improvements are applied; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional elevation showing one end of may not be guided. in its vertical movement inment of Fig. 21, and as viewed along line 3-3 thereof; Fig. 4 is a vertical section as viewed along line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a vertical section in a plane transverse to the axis of the lift bar, and as taken along line 5--5 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 is a view similar tothat of Fig. except showing the lock tenon arm in bar-locking position. Proceeding now to a description of the drawing by characters of reference, the assembly of the blind, but for the lift bar and associated features and attachments, is or may be identical with that described and illustrated in detail in my copending application Serial No. 137,292, filed April 16, 1937. Accordingly, various features of the blind assembly other than those involving present improvements, are not described in. great detail, it being sufficient for present purposes to note that the assembly comprises a pair of vertical guide rails It! and H, each shown as provided with a pair of guide recesses l2 and It. In the assembly shown the recess or guide groove it happens to be employed for the reception of the tenons (not shown) of the slats it, while the groove l3 serves in the present example to receive and conceal the lift wires. ll. Nevertheless the grooves l3 serve as guide grooves for the lift bar 263, as will hereinafter more clearly appear. The spaced relation of the lift bar it! and slats i5 is or may be attained in a somewhat conventional manner as through ladder tapes 2'2. It will be noted that the arrangement illustrated is designed in contemplation that the bar it and the slats i5 will always remain in the same angular positions throughout tilting actuation of the blind, which may be accomplished through any suitable or conventional tilting mechanism (not shown). This maintenance of uniform angularity offers the advantage that, due to the tilting of lift bar 2G with the slats in either extreme position, a substantially perfect light seal results between the bar 263 and the sill it, as well as between the bar 28 and the adjacent slat iii,

and so throughout the assembly.

Each end of the lift bar 20 is embraced by a substantially U-shape clip 26, the legs of which are secured to the opposite lower end upper faces of the bar through screws 2'? occupying slotted apertures 28 in the clip, whereby there is permitted and provided for, an appreciable longitudinal adjustment of the clips on the ends of the bar, thus enabling compensation for slightly varying widths of window opening.

Carried by and projecting from the end wall 28 of each clip 2b, is a pivot-forming stud 30, preferably located substantially on the projected axis of the lift bar 20, there being one of the pivots 30 at each opposite end of the bar.

A box-like structure 32 is carried at each end of the bar. The box-like structure 32 serves, as will later more clearly appear, as a carrier or bracket, pivotally mounted at the end of the lift bar for supporting a combined guide lever and lock tenon 33. Extending transversely of the opposite walls of the carrier or bracket 32, is a pivot pin 34 for the lock tenon or lever 33. It will be noted, as from Fig. 3, that the lock tenon 33 is mounted on its pivot in an out-of-balance relation, so that it will tend to move, within limits provided, in a counterclockwise direction about this pivot, as will best appear from Fig. 6. However, in normal operation and assembly of the blind, the securement of lift wires [1, practically at the outer extremity of the lock tenons 33 as clearly appears from Figs. 3 and 6, serves to keep the tenon levers in a relatively lifted position, in which their projecting portions serve as guide elements within the grooves l3 (Fig. 2). For the purpose of attaining a definite outward or downward bias of the lock tenons 33, there is preferably provided a small tension spring 35 (Fig. 6), the anchored end of which may be looped through an opening 36, in the outer wall of the carrier or bracket 32. The working end of the spring 35 may be similarly secured as at 3'! to the tenon lever, outwardly of the pivot 34.

To provide a journal for the associated pivot stud 33, the box-like structure 32 is apertured to receive a sleeve or bushing 38 which may be secured in place as by upsetting its opposite ends exteriorly of the walls of the member 32. A brass sleeve or bushing is preferably employed at this point.

In order to center the tenon 33 on its pivot 34, the pivot pin may be centrally milled and pressfit the tenon aperture for the pin. Assembly is facilitated, however, by utilizing a pair of spacer bushings 39 and 43, one on each .side of the tenon, for centering thereof on the pin.

It is preferred to form the bracket or carrier box 32 of sheet metal which may be di-formed to the desired shape. It is not essential, except for appearance, to form this as a hollow element, although this arrangement affords certain advantages in assembly of the bushing 38 and for other purposes. However, when the carrier is so formed, it is preferred to extend, centrally of one side thereof, a guide fin M, which serves in assembly, as a further guide element within the groove I3, and is arranged to lie in the plane of the extended portion of the tenon 33, whereby the guiding effect is attained at vertically spaced points or zones.

For the purpose of enhancing the self-locking feature of the guide tenons 33, a portion of the upper margin of each thereof is upset or formed in cutting or stamping, so as to provide a projecting horn or tooth 42. A plurality of such teeth may be utilized, or a deeply knurled surface may be provided in lieu of the single tooth which has been found satisfactory for the purpose of arresting undesired upward movement of the lift bar and attachments.

It has been found desirable in assembly, to provide a means of facilitating the tilting action of the lowermost blind slat l5, just above the lift bar, and to make such provision on the tenon assembly described. Since the tilting actuation of the slats is usually with the upper edge away from the room side of the blind, the lower or normally outer edge of the lower slat is gradually cammed into the desired angle or relation of tilt as by a camming arm 45, being an inverted L shaped element secured as by welding in about the relation best shown by Figs. 2 and 5. As the assembly of slats is tilted, the free ends of arms 45 coact in assuring a uniform and desirable angle to tilt the lower slat, keeping it in light-tight relation to and substantially parallel with the adjacent elements.

Since the several elements of the assemblies are the same at the opposite ends of the lift bar, although left and right handed assemblies are utilized with a corresponding change in relation of some of the elements, the foregoing description is applicable to either the right hand or left hand unit.

The operation of the device is thought to have been fully apparent from the foregoing description of its parts and their relation, but it may be noted that the assembly of parts is such that, even when the lift bar 20 is in its lowermost position with the carriers or brackets 32 at rest on the sill 24, the lift wires ll remain under an appreciable tension. In this manner the ends of the guide tenon levers 33 are kept horizontal as shown by Fig. 3 against the loading or bias of the spring 35, if this element be utilized, or in any event, the tensioning of the lifting elements serves to prevent the out-of-balance movement of the element 33 to a position as shown by Fig. 6. With the parts thus normally related, members 33 and ll coact to provide a smooth guiding effeet for the ends of the lift bar, in any position from. full down to full-raised relations of the blind. When, however, it is attempted, by direct manual actuation, to lift either or both ends of the bar 23, the resulting release of tension on the wires ll serve to permit the outer ends of the lever elements 33 to drop to a position wherein the tooth or horn 42 engages the wood or other material in the bottom of the groove, and thus prevents further undesired upward movement of either or both ends of the bar.

It is important, for practical reasons, thatthe carrier structure 32 be so mounted upon the associated stud 30, as to be capable of sliding movement on the stud, the length of the bushing 38 and the stud 30 being such as to permit an appreciable in-and-out movement of the carrier about its pivot. The value of this provision lies in the fact that frequently the window openings in which the blinds are installed, are defined by pulley stiles or the like which may be slightly out of vertical, either on one or both sides of the window opening. It frequently results from this fact that the horizontal spacing of the guide grooves, such as I3, is not uniform at the top and bottom of a given opening. Since the tendency of the weighted lift wires I! or other flexible lifting elements, is to assume a vertical poguide elements 33 and 4|, nevertheless to occupy their intended relations with the associated guide grooves l3.

Referring further to the slat-camming function of the arms 45, it will appear that since the slat tenons occupy grooves I2, the slats will overlie the arms 35 and will also overlie the bracket structures 32. If the slats are tilted in one direction, and the blind lifted through bar 20, it

is seen that the lowermost slat will be marginally .75

rier, and arranged to bias the associated guide element into locking relation with the groove engaged and levelled by the action of arms 45;, as in lifting the slats are picked up and stacked, the effect will be to level all of the stacked slats through this action of the camming arms. In case the slats are tilted oppositely, the effect of the top surfaces of the brackets 32 performs the described levelling function of the slats as they are picked up and stacked when the blind is lifted.

It will have appeared from the foregoing description that the assembly as described fully attains each and all of the objectives specifically hereinabove enumerated, and further serves to attain the many advantages expressed and implied from the foregoing description.

While the invention has been described by making more or lessparticular reference to a presently preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many changes may be made in the parts as well as in their combinations and arrangement, all without departing from the full intended spirit and scope of the invention defined by the claims hereunto appended.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a Venetian blind of guided type, means forming a vertical guide recess'laterally of the blind, a lift bar arranged for tilting and lifting actuation, lifting means associated with the lift bar, a combined guiding and locking element operable in the recess, a carrier for the guide element, and means forming a pivotal connection between the lift bar and the guide element, the locking element having a toothed portion of a trend to prevent upward movement of the lift bar when such portion engages a wall of the guide recess.

2. In a Venetian blind of guided type, means forming guide recesses disposed laterally in the blind structure, a lift bar arranged for both tilting and lifting actuation, a guide element operable within and along each guide recess, a carrier for each guide element, the guide element being pivotally connected to the carrier, and the carrier pivotally connected to the lift bar and the pivot axes being arranged in intersecting planes so as to permit a rocking movement of the guide element irrespective of the tilted position of the lift bar.

3. In combination in a Venetian blind of guided type including guide groove forming members at the sides of the blind assembly, a pair of carriers, one disposed at each opposite end of the lift bar and pivotally related thereto, and combined guide elements and locking tenons normally operable in the guide grooves, and each pivotally mounted on one of the carriers, each of the locking tenons having a toothed portion of a trend to prevent upward displacement of the lift bar when such .portion engages a wall of the adjacent guide groove, and lifting means for the lift bar, engaging the locking tenons, and when tensioned, operable to maintain the tenons out of locking relation. in the guide grooves, the tenons, carriers and lifting means being assembled externally of the lift bar.

4. In combination in a Venetian blind of guided type, a lift bar arranged for tilting and lifting actuation, there being guide grooves provided at the sides of the lift bar, guide elements normally freely operable along the grooves, each guide element provided with a toothed portion of a trend such as to prevent upward movement of the lift bar when the toothed portion engages a wall of the adjacent groove, a guide carrier at each end of the lift bar, spring means carried by each carwall, and flexible lifting elements engaging the guide elements, and s located with respect thereto as to maintain the guide elements in movable relation with the grooves, when the lifting elements are under tension.

5. In a Venetian blind of guided type, means forming guide recesses laterally of the blind assembly, a lift bar arranged for tilting and lifting actuation, a guide element at each end of the bar, and each operable in one of the recesses, a

carrier for each guide element, the guide element being pivotally related to the associated carrier, and the associated carrier pivotally related to the lift bar, respectively about axes substantially normal to each other.

' 6. In a Venetian blind of guided type provided with guide grooves, a lift bar tiltable with the slats of the blind and restrained to movement substantially in a Vertical plane through coaction with the guide grooves, lock tenon attachments, one at each end of the lift bar, each including a guide and tenon element, flexible lifting elements connected to the outer portions of the guide and tenon elements, and pivot means whereby the guide and tenon elements are mounted for compound pivotal movement relative to the lift bar.

7. In a lift bar assembly for Venetian blinds of guided type, a lift bar pivot carried by each end of the lift bar, a bracket structure at each end of the lift bar formed to provide a journal for the associated pivot, and a toothed guide and locking element pivotally mounted on each of said brackets to permit a rocking movement of the element substantially in a vertical plane.

,8. In combination in a Venetian blind assembly of guided type, a lift bar, a pivot member projecting axially from each end of the lift bar, a carrier or bracket forming a journal for each of the pivots, whereby to permit tilting movement of the lift bar with the slats of the blind, a guide arm for each end of the lift bar, pivotally mounted for a limited rocking movement on each of the I brackets, the guide arms being arranged in such manner that they tend to assume a position to coact with the guide grooves in a manner to prevent lifting of the lift bar, and lifting wires or the like, so connected to the guide arms as to restore and maintain the arms in operative relation with the guide grooves in response to tensioning of the lift wires or the like.

9. In a Venetian blind assembly of guided type including flexible lift elements and a lift rail, a combined lift rail guide and lock tenon having a toothed portion adapted to engage a wall of a guide groove and lock the rail against upward movement, and means by which the tenon is pivotally mounted on the lift rail for rocking movement in a substantially vertical plane, one of the lift elements being connected to the tenon and arranged normally to retain it out of locking and in guiding position.

10. In a Venetian blind assembly including slats, tilting means and lifting means including a lift bar, an element mounted on the lift bar in projcctingrelation and provided with a camming surface presented toward the slats and formed to cam the first slat above the lift bar as 

